Artificial sweetners are bad news for you and your children

Aspartame accounts for about 75 percent of the adverse reactions to food additives reported to the FDA. Among these documented symptoms are listed in the aspartame report as part of aspartame dangers, as follows: –

Headaches/migraines

Dizziness

Seizures

Nausea

Numbness

Muscle spasms

Weight gain

Rashes

Depression

Fatigue

Irritability

Tachycardia

Insomnia

Vision problems

Hearing loss

Heart palpitations

Breathing difficulties

Anxiety attacks

Slurred speech

Loss of taste

Tinnitus

Vertigo

Memory loss and

Joint pain

According to researchers and physicians studying the adverse effects of aspartame chronic illnesses can be triggered and /or worsened, such as:-

Brain tumours

Multiple sclerosis

Epilepsy

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Parkinson’s disease

Alzheimer’s mental retardation

Lymphoma

Birth defects

Fibromyalgia

Diabetes

Memory loss and

Insulin resistance

What is aspartame made of?

1. Aspartic Acid (40 percent of Aspartame)

Too much aspartate or glutamate in the brain can kill certain neurons by allowing the influx of too much calcium into the cells. This influx then triggers excessive amounts of free radicals, which kill the cells. The neural cell damage that can be caused by excessive aspartate and glutamate and are referred to as “excitotoxins.” They stimulate the neural cells to death.

The blood brain barrier (BBB), which normally protects the brain from excess glutamate and aspartate as well as toxins:

is not completely develop during childhood

does not protect all areas of the brain

is damaged by chronic and acute conditions

allows glutamate and aspartate into the brain even when intact.

The excess glutamate and aspartate destroy neurons. At least 75 percent of neural cells in a particular area of the brain are killed before any clinical symptoms of a chronic illness are noticed. A few chronic illnesses that have been shown to be contributed to by long-term exposure to excitatory amino acid damage include Multiple sclerosis (MS), Parkinson’s disease, ALS, Hypoglycaemia, memory loss, AIDS, hormonal problems, Dementia, Epilepsy, brain lesions, Alzheimer’s disease and Neuroendocrine disorders.

The risk to infants, children, pregnant women, the elderly and persons with certain chronic health problems from excitotoxins are enormous. The FDA recently stated in a review that glutamic acid should be avoided by women of childbearing age. Other symptoms include the following; –

Headaches/migraines

Fatigue (blocks sufficient glucose entry into brain)

Anxiety attacks

Nausea

Sleep problems

Depression

Abdominal pains

Vision problems

Asthma/chest tightness

2. Phenylalanine (50 percent of aspartame)

Phenylalanine is an amino acid normally found in the brain. Persons with the genetic disorder phenylketonuria (PKU) cannot metabolize phenylalanine. This leads to dangerously high levels of phenylalanine in the brain (sometimes lethal). It has been shown that ingesting aspartame, especially along with carbohydrates, can lead to excess levels of phenylalanine in the brain even in persons who do not have PKU.

Excessive levels of phenylalanine in the brain can cause the levels of serotonin in the brain to decrease, leading to emotional disorders such as depression.

Even a single use of aspartame can raise the blood phenylalanine levels. High blood phenylalanine can be concentrated in parts of the brain and is especially dangerous for infants and foetuses.

Excessive build-up of phenylalanine in the brain can cause schizophrenia or make one more susceptible to seizures.

3. Methanol a.k.a wood alcohol/poison (10 percent of aspartame)

Methanol breaks down into formaldehyde in the body. Formaldehyde is a deadly neurotoxin. A one-litre aspartame-sweetened beverage contains 56 mg of methanol. Heavy users of aspartame-containing products can consume as much as 250 mg of methanol daily or 32 times the EPA limit.

Formaldehyde is a carcinogen that can causes retinal damage, interferes with DNA replication and causes birth defects.

4. Diketopiperazine (DKP)

DKP is a by-product of aspartame metabolism and has been implicated in the occurrence of brain tumours.

How important is your health? Artificial sweeteners are not good for anyone and has no health benefits. I strongly recommend total elimination of all artificial sweeteners from your diet.

Reference

Dr James Liddell is an Integrated Healthcare Specialist
(B.Pharm; M.Pharm; PhD; SAPC and PSSA registered) specialising in integrating different disciplines of healthcare to ensure holistic healthcare solutions.
With 25 years experience as a Pharmacist, Dr of Nutrition and Complementary & Alternative Medicine Healthcare Practitioner, he believes lifestyle is ultimately the key to optimal health; a good nutritional foundation combined with sound emotional health are the fundamentals to what he calls ‘the optimal health zone’.